1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a mirror assembly for attachment to the side of an automotive vehicle and which may be adjusted to various positions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Automobiles and trucks are provided with side-mounted rear view mirrors for providing the driver with a desired field of view extending behind and along the side of the vehicle. Some vehicles, such as trucks and vehicles with trailers, have side-mounted rear view mirrors with enhanced fields of view. For example, vehicles with trailers have side-mounted rear view mirrors which extend out further than those of a typical automobile. These laterally xe2x80x9cextendedxe2x80x9d mirrors provide the driver with a field of view which covers an area reaching behind and alongside the trailer and which is unobstructed by the trailer.
However, a driver of a vehicle carrying a large trailer will encounter various situations in which it will be necessary to adjust the position of an extended rear view mirror. For example, the angular position of the mirror is adjusted to accommodate the requirements of different drivers and to accommodate changing requirements of the same driver as the size of the truck trailer changes. A truck driver may also encounter obstacles such as tollgates, loading/unloading docks, narrow driveways, and so on. When those obstacles are encountered, the mirror""s lateral position may either limit the driver""s ability to maneuver around the obstacle or require the driver to manually move the mirror beforehand. It is often necessary to move the mirror to a position next adjacent the vehicle to clear obstacles. In addition, there is a need to control the movement of the mirror remotely from with in the vehicle.
Various assemblies are known in the prior art for adjusting a mirror assembly between inner and outer extended positions, as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,545 to Miller and U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,376 to Pace, while others disclose assemblies for rotating the mirror assembly to a folded position adjacent the vehicle, as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,534 to Covert, U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,014 to Fujie et al and U.S. pat. No. 5,703,732 to Boddy et al. However, there remains a need for a mirror assembly which can be remotely controlled by power to both be extended and retracted as well as be rotated or pivoted to a folded position adjacent the vehicle.
The subject invention provides a vehicle mirror assembly which can be remotely controlled by power to both be extended and retracted as well as be rotated or pivoted to a folded position adjacent the vehicle. The improved mirror assembly comprises a fixed support adapted to be mounted on a vehicle. A swingable structure is pivotally supported by and extends laterally from the fixed support to a distal end for pivotal movement about a generally upright axis between an operative position extending laterally and a folded position extending transversely to the extended position. A mirror housing is supported at the distal end of the swingable structure. A first power mechanism pivots the swingable structure about the upright axis between the operative and the folded positions. And a second power mechanism operatively interconnects the swingable structure and the mirror housing for moving the mirror housing relative to the fixed support to various positions of adjustment between inner and outer limiting positions.
Accordingly, the subject invention provides a mirror assembly that can be remotely controlled by power to be both extended and retracted as well as rotated or pivoted to a folded position adjacent the vehicle.